Pneumatic action for single-system musical instruments.



P. WELIN. PNEUMATIC ACTION FORSINGLB SYSTEM MUsmAL INSTRUMENTS. APPLICATION FILED 815913.12, 1907.

1,045,226, Patented Nev. 26 1912;

Wi/mssm Zz /61 1'00;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER WELIN, or woncEs-rEa, MAssacHUsET'rs, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

- TO KBELL AUTO-GRAND PIANO C0. OF AMERICA, 0F CONNERSVILLE, INDIANA, A

CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

"PIQ'EUMATIC A CTION FOB SINGLE-SYSTEM MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

Application filed September 12. 1907. Serial No. 892,538.

In-theory there are two waysof operating pneumatic musical instruments, one cons1st-' ing in controlling the st'riking pneumatics by means "of a secondary valve which is in turn controlled by a primary valve, and the other consisting in controllin the striking pneumatics entirely by a sing e valve. The

- first is called the double. system and the sec- 0nd the single system. The former s usually employed, although more complicatedand expensive, because the single system requires. large openings and passages. to connect its pneumatic with the tracker. in order to furnish enough air to open the ,valve. This makes the tracker too large and necessitates the,.use of more forcein pump;- ing theinstrument than-man be employed practically. Thisinvention is equally applicable to both systems but it has the effect of rendering ticable..

One object provide a construction whereby the single system may be employed with small tracker openings and channels and with a simple and convenientconstruction, this not only greatly lessening the cost of the instrument but also reducing the amount of pumping necessary fort-he operation of the same, and to provide a construction in which the loss of tension in both the single-and double systems may be largely avoided. 7

Another object o the invention is to pro the simpler single system'pra:

vide means located where dust from the ,outer air will not collect onitwhereby' the so-called tubby etlects of the blowdelivcred by a striking pneumatic acting directly on the abstract is cushioned so as to get'an effect approximating that of the human touch; and to provide ceitain adjustments for the same so located as to permit adjustment while testing and for the connection between the striking'pneiimatic and theabstract, these features being of such construction as to be especially applicable to instruments which can be operated either manuof the present invention is to allyor automatically without disconnecting the abstracts.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter. Reference is to be had to the accompanying sheet of drawings which illustrates in cross section and partly in perspective, a pneumatic act-ion embodying the features of this invention. The invention is illustrated as applied to that. type of automatic combination piano in which a tracker 10 is connected by tubes ll w th channels 12 for controlling the oper aticn.

the invention is to be applied to'anytype of pneumatic instruijnent-or player. Each channel 12 in the'present instance, is shown as located in a valvebox 13.w'hich has a It is to be understood, however, that.

suction chamber 14. The channel is con- I nected with the suction chamber-throu h a passage 15 which has a disk 16 providedwith a small opening constituting a re st-ricted passage for the air; {It will be seen 7 that when the-passage 15' is opened .to the suction chamber 14 and the channeis'of'the I tracker-bar are covered,there will becommunication between each suction chamber and its channel. 4 p

The-channel 12 is connected with a channel 17 which communicaitcswith chambers under two. pneu iimtics' 1S "and; 19; The pneumatic 18 is located in such position lthat air coming from the tracker through the channel 12 will fill the chamber under it before itfills the chamber vunder the pneu- Y math: 19 The pneumatic 18 is provided with" a .valve 20 adapted to engage a seat 21 so as to close the communication between the passagelfi and the chamber 14-. A light ,spring 22 normally operates to hold the The construction valve away from its seat. of this part of the device is similar to a construction shown and claimed in my 00- pending applications for patent; to wit,-

automatic modulating mechanism for musical instruments. filed January 7, 1997,

Serial No. 351,086 and automatic player for -musical instruments, filed vJanuary 7, 1907,

Serial No. 351,088, but it is used here in a different way and constitutes a part of a different combination.

The pneumatic 19 supports a valve rod which is adjustably connected with a disk 26 resting on or secured to the pneumatic and guided in a guide 27. This valve rod supports a valve 28 adapted to control a pair of ports 29 and 30 communicating with a channel 31 which extends to a striking pneumatic 32; The valve 28, therefore, controls the connection of the striking pneumaticto the suction 14 and to the outer air, and it isobviously made heavier than the valve 20 and is not so easily operated by its pneumatic. The valve 28 opens againstthe pressure of the atmosphere, while the so that the air admitted to the channel 12 will not at this time act to reduce the ten- 'sion' in the'chamber 14. The next effect is that well understood in the art, namely the cutting off of the strikin pneumatic 32.

from the outer air and connecting it with the chamber. 14 so as to collapse the pneumatic and operate it in a well-known manner. After-this is accomplished, the air in the channel 12 gradually leaks through the restricted opening in thedisk 16 and the spring 22 opens the. valve 20 which connects the channel 12 with the chamber 14 and permits the pneumatic 19 to drop back.

This admits airto the pneumatic 32. It will be seen that this use of the auxiliary valve 20 for controlling the bleeding of the channel into the suction chamber obviates the necessity of using large tracker passages and has the additional advantage of reducing the amount of pumping to operate the several striking pneumatics. It is under stood, of course, thateach of the striking pneumatics is similarly constructed.

The movable leaf ofthe pneumatic 32 is controlled by a spring 40 as is ordinarily the case, the preferred form shown being a flat spring inside the pneumatic fixed to one leaf thereof and bearing on the other leaf. The movableleaf is also provided with a projection 41 which engages a disk 42- mounted on a screw-threaded rod 43 which is adjustabl'y supported in a projection 44 on the abstract the abstract rests on the rear of the key 46 and it is understood to be connected in any of the usual Ways for operating the striking devices. By the use of the adjustable disk 42 it will be seen that the operation of the various elements can be re ulat-ed at any time, as ,forexample, when the piano is tuned, and each note can be regulatedindependently of the others.

The bottom of- Another object of this invention is to provide means for overcou'iing the so-called tubby action of the mechanical players which is due to the fact that they give a distinct non-yielding blow to the abstract in their operation. In order to accomplish this result, the movable leaf of the pneumatic is provided with a pad 50 and the stationary leaf with a spring 51' which the pad encounters near the end of its stroke to slightly retard it and cushion the action of the pneumatic. This spring is prefer ably adjustable, and for that purpose is mounted in a cup 52 which is supported by a screw 53 projecting through a cap 54 secured to the pneumatic. It will be seen, therefore, that not only the strength of the blow but the cushioning efi'ect of the spring can be regulated by a simple adjustment so that both of these factors which contribute to the successful operation of the device are within easy control. It will, of course, be understood that while thepad has been described as being on the stationary leaf of the pneumatic and the spring on the movable one, this arrangement might be reversed with similar results.

\Vhile I have illustrated and described a preferred form of the invention, I. am aware that many modifications may be made therein by persons skilled inthe art, and that v air conducting channels, a single pneumatic and valve for controlling the action of each striking pneumatic, a suction chamber, means for connecting the channel with the suction chamber, and means for'cutting of? said connecting means when an air impulse passes along the air channel to said single pneumatic and before the single pneumatic is operated. I

2. The combination of a striking pneumatic, a suction chamber, an'air channel normally connected with'the suction chamber, pneumatic means controlled from said air channel for connecting said striking pneumatic with the suction chamber. and means independently controlledfroni said air channel for automatically disconnecting the air channel from the suction chamber before said pneumatic means is put into oporation. 4 El. In a pneumatic action for musical in strumc'nls, the combination of an air channel, a suction chamber, a passage from the l air channel to the suction chamber, a \-'alve inatic, a valve for controlling said striking pneumatic, a pneumatic for operatin the last named valve controlled by the air in said channel, and a pneumatic also controlled by the air in said channel for operating the first namedvalve.

4. In a pneumatic action for musical'instruments, the combination of an air channel. a suction chamber, a passa e from the air channel to the suction eham r, a valve fo-r.closing said passage, a striking pneumatie, a valve for controlling said striking pneumatic, a pneumatic for operatin the last named valve, controlled by the air in said channel,, and a pneumaticalso controlled b the air in said-'chanel, and operating in a vance of the first named pneumatic, for closing the' first named valve. 5. In a pneumatic action for musical instruments,- the combination-of an air channel, a suction chamber, a restricted passage from the air channel to the suction chamher, a valve for closing said passage, a striking pneumatic, a-valve adapted to'connect the striking ncumatic with the suction chamber or with the outer air, means for operating the first named valve, and means for thereafteroperating the second valve.

p -6. In a pneumatic action for musical instruments, the combination of a striking pneumatic, a suction chamber, a sin le valve for controlling the connection of te striking pneumatic with the suction chamberand with the outer air, means for operating "'saidvalve comprising a channel, means for bleeding the air in said channel into the suction chamber, and means for closing the connection between said channel and suction chamber before the operating means for said valve is operated.

7. In a pneumatic action for musical instruments, the combinationof a striking pneumatic, a valve box 'having a passage connected with said pneumatic, a port from said passage to the outer air, a suction chamber, and a port between said passage and suction chamber with a double-faced valve adapted to close said ports, a pneumatic for operating said valve, said valve box' having a channel connected with said suction chamber, a valve for closing said channel of a lighter weight than the first named valve, and a pneumatic for operating the sewnd valve, said valve box also having a channel communicating with the two Pneumatics and with said channel.

8. In apneumatic action for. musical instruments, the combination of a striking pneumatic, a suction chamber, a valve openmg against the air pressure for cutting said striking pneumatic off from connection with 'said pneumatic, means chamber therein, a

with sai the outer air and connecting it with said suction chamber, a pneumatic for said valve, a channel for controllin the operation of r connecting said channel with the-suction chamber, a valve for closing said connectin means adapted to close against the air tension in said channel and, a neumatic for operating the second valve, th of said pneumatics being in communication with said channel.

9. A valvebox fora pneumatically controlled musical instrument having a suction rt from said suction chamber, a passage rom said port, a second port opposite the first named port, a doublefaced valve for controlling both of said ports, a" channel communicating with said suction chamber, a valve for closing said channel located in the-suction chamber, a pneumatic on which said last named valve rests, and a second pneumatic .for support ing the first named valve, both of said pneumatics being located in said suction chamber and havi g their opposite sides connected channel, the first named valve openin against the air pressure and the second va ve closing freely.

10. In a strikim pneumatic, the combine. tion of a movable eaf, a fixed leaf, a spring cushion within said pneumatic located on the fixed leaf and extending toward the movable leaf for limiting the motions of the movable leaf, and means extending through the fixed leaf for adjusting said cushion.

11. The combination of a striking neumatic, a pad located on one of the eaves thereof, a spring located on the other leaf f and adapted to engage the pad to cushion 100 the blow of the pneumatic toward the end of its stroke, and means-for adjustin the position of said spring toward and from the pad, saidspring and pad being located within said striking pneumatic;

12. The combination of a striking pneumatic, a pad located on one of the leaves thereof, and-a spring located .on the other leaf and adapted to engage the pad to cushion the blow'of the pneumatic toward the end of its stroke.

13. A striking pneumatic comprising a stationary leaf, a movable leaf, apad on the movable leaf, a cap secured to the stationary leaf, a screw threaded through said cap, a cup mounted on the inner end of the screw, and a spring located in said cup and adapted to be engaged by said pad. 7

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set mv hand, in the presence of wo subscribing witnems.

PETER WELIN.

Witnesses:

C. Foaarsr Wesson ALBERT E. FAY. 

